The Kansas Democratic Party is the affiliate of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

in the state of

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...

and one of two major parties in the state, alongside the Republicans. The chair of the party is Vicki Hiatt. The party currently controls the state's

governorship A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

, lieutenant governorship and Treasurer office, as well as one seat in the state's U.S. House delegation. It is currently in the minority in both houses of the state legislature.

Overview

Since its founding as a territory, Kansas politics have been largely dominated by the

Kansas Republican Party The Kansas Republican Party is the state affiliate political party in Kansas of the United States Republican Party. The Kansas Republican Party was organized in May 1859. At the state level, the party is largely split between its moderate and con ...

and in 1857, the Kansas Democratic Party was formed in an attempt to curb this trend by writing a constitution which would make Kansas a pro-slavery state. This constitution, which was written in

Lecompton, Kansas Lecompton (pronounced ) is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 588. Lecompton was the ''de jure'' territorial capital of Kansas from 1855 to 1861, and the Douglas County seat f ...

, was boycotted by many of the free-staters and seen as illegitimate. Eventually a free-state constitution was drafted in Topeka and was adopted. The Kansas Democratic Party has not been able to send a U.S. Senator to Washington since 1939, a record currently unmatched by any state party in America, Republican or Democratic. Kansas Democrats have only controlled the

Kansas Senate The Kansas Senate is the upper house of the Kansas Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Kansas. It is composed of 40 senators elected from single-member districts, each with a population of at least 60,000 inhabitants. Members ...

for 4 years (1913-1916) since statehood, and have only controlled the

Kansas House of Representatives The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for crafti ...

for six years since statehood (1913-1914, 1977-1978, and 1990-1991). Since the state’s founding, there have been 12 Democratic governor of Kansas, six of whom were elected after 1961. The aftermath of the “Summer of Mercy,” a series of anti-abortion protests in Wichita which split Kansas Republicans into moderate and conservative factions, established the modern “three-party politics” at the state level. Kansas Democrats often capitalize on that split, forming coalitions with moderate Republicans and independents to achieve near and complete electoral and legislative success, most notably in the 2002, 2006,

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

, and

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...

gubernatorial elections. The party suffered major defeats in the 2010 Kansas elections, losing every statewide race and 16 seats in the Kansas House. Before then, the Democrats had joined with a coalition of moderate Republicans to effectively control the state senate. However, the ousters of several moderate Republicans in the 2010 primaries left the lower chamber in the hands of conservative Republicans. The Kansas Democratic Party helped elect 14 new Democrats to the Kansas Legislatur
in the 2016 elections
and, along with substantial primary victories among moderate Republicans, often achieved bipartisan, moderate majorities in the Kansas House on issues such as Medicaid expansion and taxes.

Democrat

Laura Kelly Laura Jeanne Kelly (born January 24, 1950)"Laura Kelly,"
''Kansapedia,''

was elected governor and Sharice Davids was elected to represent 3rd congressional district, with the party making sizable gains in suburbs and major cities around the state while keeping losses to a minimum in the rural, more conservative parts of Kansas.

Washington Days

Since 1895, the Kansas Democratic Party has hosted the annual Washington Days convention. Consisting of one weekend of caucus meetings, dinners, and receptions, the event ends with an address from a keynote speaker. It is traditionally held in the capital city of Topeka. The keynote speech has historically been a proving ground for future Democratic candidates for

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

, including

William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator and politician. Beginning in 1896, he emerged as a dominant force in the Democratic Party, running three times as the party's nominee for President ...

Ted Kennedy Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Massachusetts for almost 47 years, from 1962 until his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic ...

, Gary Hart,

John Edwards Johnny Reid Edwards (born June 10, 1953) is an American lawyer and former politician who served as a U.S. senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2004 alongside John Kerry, losing to incumbents George ...

Martin O’Malley Martin Joseph O'Malley (born January 18, 1963) is an American lawyer and former politician who served as the 61st Governor of Maryland from 2007 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he was Mayor of Baltimore from 1999 to 2007. O'Malle ...

, Bernie Sanders, and Pete Buttigieg. Keynote speakers who would go on to become president include

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1 ...

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...

, and Joe Biden.

Alben Barkley Alben William Barkley (; November 24, 1877 – April 30, 1956) was an American lawyer and politician from Kentucky who served in both houses of Congress and as the 35th vice president of the United States from 1949 to 1953 under Presid ...

Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic no ...

, and Joe Biden also gave keynote speeches at Washington Days before each became vice president.

Current elected officials

Members of
U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

* None George McGill, who served from 1930 until 1939, was the last Democrat to serve as a United States Senator from Kansas; the state has since exclusively been represented by Republicans in that body, representing the longest losing streak by either party in any of the fifty states.

Members of
U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washin ...

Statewide offices

File:Laura Kelly official photo (cropped).jpg,

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

File:David Toland official photo (cropped).jpg, Lieutenant Governor

Legislative Leadership

Senate Minority Leader The positions of majority leader and minority leader are held by two United States senators and members of the party leadership of the United States Senate. They serve as the chief spokespersons for their respective political parties holding t ...

: Anthony Hensley *

House Minority Leader Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives, also known as floor leaders, are congresspeople who coordinate legislative initiatives and serve as the chief spokespersons for their parties on the House floor. These leaders are el ...

Tom Sawyer Thomas Sawyer () is the titular character of the Mark Twain novel ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' (1876). He appears in three other novels by Twain: '' Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1884), '' Tom Sawyer Abroad'' (1894), and '' Tom Sawyer, ...

*Assistant House Minority Leader: Valdenia Winn *House Minority Whip: Stephanie Clayton *House Minority Caucus Chair:

Barbara Ballard Barbara W. Ballard (born November 14, 1944) is a Democratic member of the Kansas House of Representatives, representing the 44th district. Born in Petersburg, Virginia, she has served since 1993. Prior to her election to the House, Ballard ser ...

*House Minority Agenda Chair: Brandon Woodard *House Minority Policy Chair: Rui Xu

Kansas Democratic Party chairs

* (1855) Gen. James H. Lane * (1866) W.P. Gambell * (1872 – 1874) Thomas P. Fenlon * (1874 – 1883) Col. John Elmore Martin * (1883 – 1886) Hon. Wm. C. Perry * (1886 – 1888) Ed Carroll * (1888 – 1892) John M. Galloway * (1892 – 1894) W.C. Jones * (1896 – 1902) John S. Richardson * (1902 – 1904) Hugh P. Farrelly * (1904 – 1906) Col. William F. Sapp * (1906 – 1908) Col. W.H. “Bill” Ryan * (1908 – 1914) Henderson S. Martin * (1914 – 1916) E.E. Murphy * (1920 – 1922) Forrest Luther * (1922 – 1924) Carl John Peterson * (1924 – 1928) Fred B. Robertson * (1928 – 1930) John Wells * (1930) Ruth B. Rice * (1930 – 1933) Guy T. Helvering * (1934 – 1936) Clyde E. Short * (1936 – 1940) C.M. Fitzwilliams * (1940 – 1940) Charles E. Young * (1944 – 1946) Harry Castor * (1946 – 1948) Delmas C. “Buzz” Hill * (1948 – 1950) Leigh Warner * (1950 – 1954) John I. Young * (1954 – 1955) Marvin A. “Mike” Harder * (1955 – 1969) Frank Theis * (1960 – 1962) John D. Montgomery * (1962 – 1964) Jack Glaves * (1964 – 1965) Maurice Martin * (1965 – 1966) Thomas J. Corcoran * (1966 – 1974) Norbert Dreiling * (1974 – 1975) Robert L. Brock * (1975 – 1976) Henry “Hank” Lueck * (1976 – 1977) Jan Myers * (1977 – 1979) Terry Scanlon * (1979 – 1981) Larry Bengston * (1981 – 1983) Robert E. Tilton * (1983 – 1985) Pat Lehman * (1985 – 1991) James W. Parrish * (1991 – 1993) John T. Bird * (1993 – 1999) Dennis M. Langley * (1999 – 2003)

* (2003 – 2011) Larry Gates * (2011 – 2015) Joan Wagnon * (2015 – 2015) Larry Meeker * (2015 – 2017) Lee Kinch * (2017 – 2019) John Gibson * (2019 – Present) Vicki Hiatt

Prominent past party officials

William Augustus Ayres William Augustus Ayres (April 19, 1867 – February 17, 1952) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas and a Federal Trade Commissioner. Early life and career William A. Ayres was born in Elizabethtown, Illi ...

(Congressman 1915–21, 1923–34) *

Nancy Boyda Nancy Boyda (born August 2, 1955) is an American chemist and politician. She is a former Democratic U.S. Representative for . On November 4, 2008, Boyda was defeated for re-election to a second term by Kansas State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins. ...

(Congresswoman 2007–09) * James Floyd Breeding (Congressman 1957–63) * John W. Carlin (Governor 1979–87) *

Georgia Neese Clark Georgia Neese Clark Gray (January 27, 1898 – October 26, 1995) was an American actress and banker who served as the 29th treasurer of the United States from 1949 to 1953, and was the first woman to hold that office. Early life Georgia Neese was ...

(

Treasurer of the United States The treasurer of the United States is an officer in the United States Department of the Treasury who serves as custodian and trustee of the federal government's collateral assets and the supervisor of the department's currency and coinage produc ...

1949–53) *

George Docking George Docking (February 23, 1904 – January 20, 1964) was an American businessman who served as the 35th governor of Kansas (1957–1961). He was a member of the Democratic Party. Biography Born in Clay Center, Kansas, Docking was educated i ...

(Governor 1957–61) *

Robert Docking Robert Blackwell Docking (October 9, 1925October 8, 1983) was an American politician who served as the 38th governor of Kansas from 1967 until 1975. Early life Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Docking attended public school in Lawrence, K ...

(Governor 1967–75) * Joan Finney (Governor 1991–95) *

Dan Glickman Daniel Robert Glickman (born November 24, 1944) is an American politician, lawyer, lobbyist, and nonprofit leader. He served as the United States Secretary of Agriculture from 1995 until 2001, prior to which he represented as a Democrat in Con ...

(Congressman 1977–95, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture 1995–2001) * Guy T. Helvering (Congressman 1913–19,

Commissioner of Internal Revenue The Commissioner of Internal Revenue is the head of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), an agency within the United States Department of the Treasury. The office of Commissioner was created by Congress as part of the Revenue Act of 1862. Section ...

1933–43) *

John Mills Houston John Mills Houston (September 15, 1890 – April 29, 1975) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from the 5th congressional district of Kansas from 1935 to 1943. He was also a member of the National Labor Relations Boa ...

(Congressman 1933–43,

National Labor Relations Board The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is an independent agency of the federal government of the United States with responsibilities for enforcing U.S. labor law in relation to collective bargaining and unfair labor practices. Under the Na ...

Member 1943–53) * Martha Elizabeth Keys (Congresswoman 1975–78) * Kathryn O'Loughlin McCarthy (first Congresswoman from Kansas, 1933-1935) * George McGill (U.S. Senator 1931–39) * Dennis Moore (Congressman 1999–2011) *

Mark Parkinson Mark Vincent Parkinson (born June 24, 1957) is an American businessman and former politician serving as head of the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL). He served as the 47th lieutenant governor ...

(Governor 2009–11) * William R. Roy (Congressman 1971–75) *

Kathleen Sebelius Kathleen Sebelius (; née Gilligan, born May 15, 1948) is an American businesswoman and politician who served as the 21st United States secretary of Health and Human Services from 2009 until 2014. As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Sebeli ...

(Governor 2003–09,

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services The United States secretary of health and human services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all health matters. The secretary is ...

2009–14) *

Clyde Short Clyde Lorraine Short (January 30, 1883 – February 27, 1936) was a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Kansas, best known as a former two-time candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Kansas Democratic ...

(Kansas Democratic Party Chairman 1934-36) * Jouett Shouse (Congressman 1915–19) *

Jim Slattery James Charles Slattery (born August 4, 1948) is an American politician. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 1995 representing Kansas's 2nd congressional district as a Democrat, was the Democratic nominee for governor in ...

(Congressman 1983–95)

References

External links

* {{Authority control Democratic Party (United States) by state

1857 establishments in Kansas Territory